Archive for the ‘Countertops’ Category

Plan the installation of your bathroom vanity counter top with care. Measuring your bathroom countertop for replacement allows you to estimate not only how much space you have but will also help you determine the cost of your replacement countertop materials. Because the top side of your bathroom counter is such a large prominent work surface and the fact that a fair amount of activity in the bathroom takes place here, its presence normally dictates it as being the centerpiece of your overall bathroom design. If your bathroom countertop is looking a bit dated or is damaged and needs replacing, there are many counter top solutions on the market that are affordable and durable. In many respects planning and measuring your bathroom countertop for replacement is easier than planning for any other room in your home because bathrooms are normally the smallest room in your house. Although space restrictions may limit the size of the top horizontal work surface of your counter as well as whether or not you have purchased a stock vanity base, there are still options you can incorporate into your countertop design to overhang and increase the usable surface area of your vanity countertop. Just remember when designing and measuring a bathroom countertop for replacement that it should not overwhelm the vanity and the room but fit comfortably into the space to balance the design elements in your lavatory. Read the rest of this entry »

Tiling your bathroom vanity can give your countertop a new distinctive style without having to remodel your whole bathroom. A good reason to tile your bathroom vanity if you’ve already tiled your bathroom walls and floors is that it also helps to better integrate all your bathroom design surfaces for visual consistency. On the other hand, if you just want your vanity to stand out and become a focal point in your bathroom then tiling your vanity will make your vanity and sink a more visually central part of your bathroom space. When tiling your bathroom vanity one of the most important things you need to do is build a stable and level substrate before laying your tiles. The basic skill set you will need is the ability to cut, set and grout tiles as well as some very basic carpentry skills such as cutting the hole for your sink if you remove your existing vanity top to replace it with a new custom unit. Read the rest of this entry »

Bathroom vessel sinks are not as original as some people think. While the popularity of above the counter vessel bowl sinks has increased in the last couple years, vessel sinks are just a case in point of the old becoming new once again. Remember back to the days when there wasn’t any plumbing and people had to put ceramic bowls and pots on their vanity countertop so they could wash their hands and face. Well, bathroom vessel sinks are essentially a reincarnation of this old concept but this time around they include plumbing supplies. Don’t get me wrong; based upon the elements of design, modern vessel sinks are a far cry from the old crock pots that we used to dump out our dirty water through an open window. Today’s vessel sinks are decorative pieces of art both functional and versatile and most could be at home in an art gallery or on display in a residential bathroom setting. So where do you begin? How do you choose a bathroom vessel sink and faucet combination when remodeling your bathroom? Read the rest of this entry »

While down at the Buildex convention in Calgary, Alberta I had the opportunity to talk to Deano Pellegrino, the west coast sales manager of CaesarStone. CaesarStone is a manufacturer of quality quartz surfaces used by professional interior designers for home renovation and design applications. These quartz surfaces are so versatile they can be used for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanity countertops, backsplashes, wall paneling and can even be applied to quartz floor tiles amongst many other creative uses. Quartz surfaces are beautiful and durable and come in a vast range of original aesthetically pleasing finishes to suit just about everyone’s bathroom or home décor. Read the rest of this entry »

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Wood countertops in your bathroom are not only attractive, they are versatile, fairly easy to install and are available in a wide range of colors and finishes. Today’s solid wood countertops are scratch-resistant, heat-resistant and water-proofed for use in a bathroom environment. This brand new type of wooden countertop can be made to fit any specification, with each counter top artistically handcrafted according to your explicit needs. Wooden countertops offer you a beautiful warm and inviting alternative to the sometimes clinical feel of a traditional bathroom. The wood not only looks appealing, it feels warm and tempting to the touch. However, to maintain your woods natural beauty, wood countertops must be properly sealed and maintained. Whatever type of wood you choose for your bathroom countertop, it must be sealed with a marine quality polyurethane varnish or paint. One of the most important things to remember is to seal around the edges of your plumbing fixtures so that any pooled water will not seep into the surrounding areas and cause your wood to warp or even worse, create wood rot. Read the rest of this entry »

Glass countertops in your bathroom, now that is fairly new. For the majority of us, glass is known for it’s translucent, eye-catching beauty, hardly thought of as a countertop material in your bath. Traditionally the emphasis on countertops has been function but in recent years there has been a sort of design revolution, today’s bathroom design has moved towards permanent fixtures acting as ornamental as well as functional countertop pieces. And because of this trend, homeowners are looking beyond the traditional surface materials of cultured marble and porcelain. Cutting edge designers are incorporating new trendy materials into their bath designs, materials such as wood, concrete, stainless steel and glass countertops are on the forefront of this shift in radical bathroom design changes. Read the rest of this entry »

Trends in bathroom materials indicate that in the last couple of years, natural stone has become an increasingly popular tiling design choice for bathrooms. At one point in time these precious stones were mainly limited to high-end houses but today natural stone has become much more affordable for the everyday home owner. Prestige Granite & Stone Ltd., a Calgary based company, imports beautiful granite and marble slabs to create exceptionally striking countertops, vanities, tables, shower surroundings and fireplaces for both the bathroom, kitchen and livingroom spaces. I had a quick chat with them down at the Calgary Home and Interior Design Show about Emperador Dark a popular type of granite used for bathroom countertops to create a refined modern appearance. Read the rest of this entry »

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Vanities are regularly sold as a package with a countertop. You can buy a prefabricated one or you can get one custom made. The styles range from contemporary furniture to period specific chic. While most bathroom vanity countertops do not over hang the vanity, it is not unheard of to have countertops that extend out to form window sills or even to connect two adjoining vanities to increase useful counter space. Read the rest of this entry »